Two Malay towers
Over the Siak River.
anwar siak from Kesultanan Siak, indonesia — CC BY 2.0 · https://www.flickr.com/photos/sanugrah/ — CC BY 2.0 · Okutabia — CC0
A cable-stayed bridge across the broad Siak River at Siak Sri Indrapura, the old capital of the Siak sultanate, opened in the 2000s and named after Tengku Agung Sultanah Latifah, wife of Sultan Syarif Kasim II, the last sultan of Siak, who gave up his wealth and kingdom to support Indonesian independence. Two tall towers in a form inspired by Malay architecture carry cables over the river, lit in colours at night, seen from the riverbank and the town's waterfront promenade, with views over the river, the town and the sultan's palace. It is free, a short stop for photos, loveliest in the evening when lit. The bridge is minutes from Siak Palace and the Syahabuddin Mosque, so combine them on a day trip from Pekanbaru, about two hours by car.
Over the Siak River.
Wife of the last sultan.
Colours on the river.
Siak Sri Indrapura, on the Siak River, about two hours from Pekanbaru
The last sultan of Siak, of Arab-descended lineage, who in 1945 gave up his kingdom and much of his fortune to support the young Indonesian republic, and was declared a national hero.